The Truth About Cars » Just ’cause I’m police doesn’t mean I don’t have occasional Libertarian impulseshttp://www.thetruthaboutcars.com
The Truth About Cars is dedicated to providing candid, unbiased automobile reviews and the latest in auto industry news.Sat, 17 Jan 2015 13:55:25 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.1The Truth About Cars is dedicated to providing candid, unbiased automobile reviews and the latest in auto industry news.The Truth About CarsnoThe Truth About Carseditors@ttac.comeditors@ttac.com (The Truth About Cars)2006-2009The Truth About CarsThe Truth About Cars is dedicated to providing candid, unbiased automobile reviews and the latest in auto industry news.The Truth About Cars » Just ’cause I’m police doesn’t mean I don’t have occasional Libertarian impulseshttp://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/themes/ttac-theme/images/logo.gifhttp://www.thetruthaboutcars.com
Guns and Ferraris: Joe Biden Would Pry Them Both From Your Cold Dead Handshttp://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/04/guns-and-ferraris-joe-biden-would-pry-them-both-from-your-cold-dead-hands/
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/04/guns-and-ferraris-joe-biden-would-pry-them-both-from-your-cold-dead-hands/#commentsFri, 12 Apr 2013 15:20:37 +0000http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=484516So on Thursday, the crazy drunk uncle career politician who currently sits a mere heartbeat from the big desk in the oddly- shaped office without any corners went on MSNBC and said this: It’s used to be, Joe, we were dealing almost exclusively with hunters. … There’s a whole new sort of group of individuals who, I […]

So on Thursday, the crazy drunk uncle career politician who currently sits a mere heartbeat from the big desk in the oddly- shaped office without any corners went on MSNBC and said this:

It’s used to be, Joe, we were dealing almost exclusively with hunters. … There’s a whole new sort of group of individuals who, I don’t what the numbers are, that never hunt at all, but they own guns for one of two reasons: Self-protection, or, they just like the feel of that AR-15 at the range. They like the way it feels. They just, you know, it’s like driving a Ferrari, you know. So, my impression is, there’s not the same sort of cultural norm about gun ownership with a lot of people who are buying guns now.

Now we could (and probably will) get deep into the weeds in the comments section going back and forth about the nature of the 2nd Amendment in the 21st century and just how frightening it is that a man like Joe Biden could one day have his fingers on “The Button,” but I’d rather focus on the sheer brass of the VPOTUS and the underlying elitist mentality that shapes his world view.

Let’s take Mr. Biden’s statement and flip it around, making it about cars instead of firearms.

It’s used to be, Joe, we were dealing almost exclusively with hunterscommuters. … There’s a whole new sort of group of individuals who, I don’t what the numbers are, that never huntdrive to work at all because they telecommute from home, but they still own gunsmultiple cars for one of two reasons: Self-protectionthe bus lines don’t go directly to the places they want to go when they’re not working, or, they just like the feel of that AR-15 at the rangeFerrari on the track. They like the way it feels. They just, you know, it’s like driving a Ferrarifiring a $15,000 Barrett M107A1 .50 caliber sniper rifle into a 6″ target 1,500 yards downrange, you know. So, my impression is, there’s not the same sort of cultural norm about guncar ownership with a lot of people who are buying gunscars now.

Think it sounds preposterous? With the advent of the driverless car, over blown concerns about distracted driving, and the desire of many of our social betters to sacrifice 150 years of human progress on the altar of environmental purity, it’s not impossible to picture an elected official twenty years (or less) from now repeating something similar to the drivel I typed above.

Consider how Mr. Biden characterized those who he views as his main opponents on the gun issue: The manner in which they choose to pursue happiness is as wasteful and frivilous as driving a Ferrari. It’s okay to own a gun if you’re going to participate in an activity, hunting, that meets with Mr. Biden’s approval and, presumably, it’s okay with the VP for you to own a car, so long as it’s nothing pointless and wasteful. Minivans are okay. A Prius would probably be better.

It’s all part and parcel of the totalitarian proclivities of our elites. “Because I want to and it’s none of your damn business,” is not a justification for owning a gun or owning a “wasteful” vehicle. A whiff of this elitist point of view came out in the comments thread of my recent tribute to pickup trucks. Some people simply demand that their fellow citizens justify their actions in every corner of their lives. Perhaps it’s because we’ve all voluntarily given up so much of our privacy through Facebook and other social media. People think that they have a right to be in our business because we let them into so much of our business.

Nevermind that of all the reasons to own a firearm, hunting makes the least sense in a country with a grocery store on every corner. The same focus on the trivial will be used to drive the future debate on the ownership of private automobiles, particularly classic cars and sporting models. You’ll be able to take them to car shows and drive in the Fourth of July parade, but forget about emulating Chuck Berry and “riding along… with no particular place to go.”

Hopefully we haven’t reached the point where membership in AAA in order to protect your rights and privileges when it comes to the private use of automobiles is as important as membership in the NRA is to protect your rights and privileges to private gun ownership.